The doctor-patient relationship has long been defined by privacy, trust, and the intimate exchange of information — a cornerstone of effective care. But as technology reshapes every corner of healthcare, this bond is being redefined in ways both profound and urgent.
From telehealth consultations to diagnostics driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and digital health records, technology now mediates much of the interaction, altering how care is delivered and experienced. As this transformation accelerates, the role of technology leaders in healthcare organizations has never been more pivotal. They are not just enablers of innovation; they are the architects of a new kind of healthcare experience, where trust and connection must be reimagined in a digital-first world.
Thanks to advances in technology, the dynamic between patients and healthcare providers now begins long before any in-person appointment and lasts far beyond hospital visits. For CIOs, this evolution presents an imperative to create the 360-degree healthcare experience that today’s consumers demand. This also means their roles are more important — and more challenging — than ever before.
Traditional approaches to technical leadership are insufficient to solve today’s most urgent healthcare challenges. CIOs that previously took a reactive approach to IT must start to channel the competencies of the business leaders around them, driving change proactively rather than stepping in to solve problems after they surface.
By embracing this shift in perspective, technology leaders can identify new ways to propel their organizations forward. These CIOs of the future — focused on the big picture, equipped with precise data, and ready to empower clinicians to deliver quality care at scale — can position systems to positively impact more people’s healthcare experience.
This mindset shift will also be essential to helping healthcare systems navigate financial stress. Organizations are slowly stabilizing, but operating margins for nonprofit hospitals are expected to remain below historical levels in 2025, leaving no room for waste. In the coming years, CIOs can use technology to drive efficiency, improve the patient experience and support medical professionals in delivering the life-saving care that millions of people depend on every day.
For instance, AI is poised to transform the industry and revolutionize healthcare by cutting administrative burden and driving efficiency across organizations. The recent announcement of Kyndryl’s collaboration with Microsoft on Microsoft Dragon Copilot, a new AI-powered healthcare assistant, highlights the shift from technology as a back-office function to a point-of-care solution that puts data in the hands of clinicians and fuels better care in real time.
Bridging the readiness divide
CIOs have an essential role to play in preparing healthcare organizations to navigate future challenges. To do so, they’re racing to get ahead of technological change as they tackle a growing list of delayed IT projects. At the same time, they’re asking how they can capitalize on innovation while addressing pressing issues like labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, and increasing cyber threats.
But some foundational challenges stand in the way of their efforts. A recent Kyndryl survey exploring the readiness paradox revealed that 62% of healthcare leaders are concerned their IT tools or processes are outdated. Further, only 36% feel they are leading in technology modernization and using innovative technologies to drive business outcomes.
These findings come at a time when technology has become decentralized for many healthcare organizations, with leaders and departments within facilities making siloed decisions. Some departments clamor for the newest revenue cycle management software. Others are keen to jump on the quantum bandwagon. As individual investments pile up, organizations are saddled with a patchwork of fixes that can be duplicative, inefficient, and expose systems to additional security threats.
This presents an opportunity for CIOs to step up and lead organizations in a different direction. Relying on aging technologies and adding to bloated IT estates will continue to present significant challenges for healthcare organizations as they prepare to manage future risks, including public health disruptions, cyberattacks and evolving policies and regulations. Siloed IT approaches may also limit growth opportunities, as technology investment remains disconnected from business priorities.
Simplifying complex technology
As a first step, CIOs can help align senior leadership on a few key platforms to form a strong foundation from which to drive productivity, grow revenue and reduce costs. This foundation generally includes an electronic health record (EHR) system for clinical workflow, clinical collaboration and enterprise resource planning systems, and a cloud-based platform for integration and management.
By relying on these core systems, CIOs can leverage existing capabilities rather than burden their organizations with more costs and complexity. Their actions can also improve patient satisfaction. Through a single EHR system, for example, patients can access their critical data, streamlined bill payments, and easy paths to additional services. EHR platforms can also help ensure providers have patient records at their fingertips so they can deliver more effective and timely care. Improving customer service can and should lead to growth opportunities — and adopting more technology to achieve these aims is often unnecessary when a strong technology foundation is already in place.
Internally, IT command centers — which centralize real-time data analysis, resource coordination, and communication — can drive further simplification and integration. These hubs help systems overcome operational silos in areas including security, networking and data. They also enable continuous monitoring and fast responses to shifting metrics like bed occupancy. By leveraging the capabilities of these command centers, organizations can improve the overall digital experience, enabling clinicians and patients to spend more time focusing on care and recovery.
Being a proactive business leader
As technology plays an increasingly vital role in healthcare, the role of technology leaders will evolve. Rather than solely focusing on technology, CIOs will need to break down organizational silos to address institutional priorities across teams. That means aligning technology strategy with an organization’s overall goals, and balancing budget constraints with the most effective use of technology to deliver results.
That requires executive vision and a commitment to technological effectiveness, as well as an integrated governance approach. But efforts are worthwhile when improving productivity can not only lift margins but support the long-term health of these critical organizations.
At healthcare companies of all shapes and sizes, from hospital systems with hundreds of facilities to local medical centers with smaller footprints, CIOs can be the catalyst for making technology work better for administrators, doctors, and patients alike. But, as they chart the path forward, embracing a new way of thinking should be priority number one.
Trent Sanders
Trent Sanders is Vice President of Healthcare at Kyndryl.
